This challenge is for those who thought we were getting a little too soft with the Queen and King of the Hill. McConnell ridge - the slowest 1.3 km of your life?
You know the saying "It's not because it's on GaiaGPS that a trail actually exists". In this case, let's say that the trail exists, but just barely. 500 vertical meters of steep gradients, good old Rockies choss and overall misery awaits this week. The route is flagged enough for you to not get lost - can't say we don't love you.
This week we are traveling through fragile ecosystems and terrain, please thread lightly and follow the temporary flagging as much as possible.
Anyone say running poles?
Getting There: Park at Barrier Lake. Follow the Barrier Lake Dam trail towards Prairieview. After a short hill, turn left onto Stoney Trail. Follow Stoney Trail until the start of the challenge. Total distance to the start of the challenge is right around 3.4 km.
Start your watch as soon as you leave the broad double-track that runs along Barrier Lake.
Follow the pink flagging the whole way up to the summit. If you end up in a big patch of scree, you've missed a junction. You might want to use the GPX track for this one...!
Stop your watch at the summit cairn - the one with a tall branch planted right in the middle.
- Distance: 1.3 km
- Difficulty: Hard
- Elevation Gain: 490 meters or so
- Where to Park: Barrier Lake
- Surface: kinda loose rock, loose rock, very loose rock
- Challenge GPX Track
- Approach GPX Track
- Strava Segment - just kidding it doesn't exist yet
- YouTube Link - Coming Soon
- Fatmap Link